Woodside Hotel bought by syndicate; AFL star Josh Dunkley and BRW rich lister among them
An AFL star and richlister have joined a community campaign to reopen the ‘heart and soul’ pub of a small Gippsland town, devastated by fires and Covid.
Bass Coast News
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A Victorian town hit hard by the devastating Black Saturday bushfires and Covid is fighting back to reopen its ‘heart and soul’ pub which served the community for 170 years.
A crowd-funded campaign, said to be backed by a high-profile AFL footballer, Josh Dunkley and a BRW rich lister, is helping to rebuild the formerly known Woodside Hotel with organisers dreaming of Daryl Braithwaite playing ‘Horses’ at the opening night.
Mr Dunkley revealed on Instagram he was “excited to be joining the syndicate bringing back the renamed Woodside Beach Hotel”.
Woodside Beach, which is about three hours from Melbourne, has had more than its share of troubles with its post office and general store burnt down while the pub closed in 2016.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help with the costs of restoring the pub and every dollar contributed will be redeemable over the bar.
The ink is still drying on the contract which was signed at the end of November by the group of 10 buyers, who all have ties to the beachside town.
Clint Hillas, self-appointed chair of the syndicate, moved to Woodside last year after losing work during Covid when he found the abandoned pub, and saw the opportunity.
“I’ve never seen so many cars and caravans go to the beach and the pub was just sitting there,” he said.
“During Covid, the pub was sold four times and each time the deal fell through.
“Next thing I know, it was being advertised again and I thought: I’m having a crack at this.”
Mr Hillas said it’s a “mammoth” job but they consider themselves “lucky” to have landed the deal.
The team got stuck into the renovation straight away and have already “completely gutted” the building.
“It’s a really old building with poor overall infrastructure and we’ll be replacing roof next week,” he said.
Mr Hillas said the project, which will “easily cost over one million dollars”, is set to open in March or April of next year with additional features introduced about six months down the track.
“Phase one is doing up the pub and getting it back to life,” he said.
The bar will be redone and will accommodate up to 500 people, a commercial kitchen will be installed along with new bathrooms and a 120-seat dining area, as well as a family play zone.
Phase two will feature luxurious, self-contained accommodation pods that include a kingsize bed, a TV, a kitchenette and a bathroom, all with a beautiful outlook of the valley.
Alongside this, the team will create a multipurpose function area with a stage available for hosting events or for private hire.
“My dream is to have Daryl Braithwaite play on opening night and sing ‘Horses’,” Mr Hillas said.
The news has been welcomed by the community and Mr Hillas said people have been “standing by watching the excavation” happen.
“It’s incredible,” he said.
“They just kept coming in through the front door to find out what’s going on.
“I think we may have to put up a few barriers next week before it becomes dangerous.”
Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, said the reopening of the pub would help the community who have “endured more than its fair share” since the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.
“The reopening will certainly help the Woodside community remain united and look towards the future with optimism,” he said.
Among the group reviving the local icon are local fisherman and farmers who will be a source of knowledge on the local produce and will help boost the pub’s menu as well as local hospitality experts.
Mr Hillas also revealed: “There will be a high-profile AFL footballer who will buy into the site and another high-profile guy who is on BRW’s rich-list”.
The Woodside Beach Hotel will aim to be open from Thursday to Sunday and every day during summer.
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